ATLANTA -- There are lots of words to characterize locker rooms after a loss in a national final.

Devastated. Heart broken. Overcome.

And although Michigan was some of those things after falling 82-76 to Louisville on Monday night in the championship game, there was another overarching vibe.

"It was beautiful," sophomore forward Jon Horford said. "Everyone was so calm. No one was crying, no one was complaining, no one was throwing things. Everyone was just so calm. Coach (John) Beilein just got up and he started to speak and he just set the tone. He stressed the importance of valuing everything we’ve accomplished.

"He just started thanking everyone, from the players and coaches to the support staff, and he just had this air of gratitude. Having great respect for the moment, and understanding the bonds we’ve made as a team are much more important than winning a basketball game, even if it is the national championship."

It took Beilein 35 college seasons and 1,074 games to get to his first Final Four. Michigan was here much more recently, in 1993, although it seems just as long considering the scandal, NCAA sanctions and four coaching hires of the past two decades.

This program, and its coach, have been through the ringer. Beilein toiled through the lower levels of college basketball. Michigan didn't make the tournament for one 10-year stretch.

Those trials helped the Wolverines appreciate the moment -- the accomplishment -- in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, rather than dwelling on the pain of a loss to Louisville.

"I hope tomorrow when we get on that plane, there's some smiles on the faces," Beilein said. "The sun is going to come up tomorrow. If they're not smiling, we're going to make them smile.

"What is really unique, not only they love the coaching staff, the coaching staff loves them, they love each other. The word 'love' was used over and over and over. Two 19‑year‑old guys said, 'I love you.' That's pretty deep stuff."

Burke's leap is considered inevitable (he almost left last year), but the others' plans are unknown.

Michigan has promising pieces returning as well, though, and will add another talented recruiting class to the mix. That offers hope the Wolverines can return to this level -- and that was the locker room message.

That this is no one-trick pony, and Michigan will be back. That Michigan is back.

"Everyone wanted this one so bad. To fall short, and the way we did -- we were so close -- it was saddening," point guard Spike Albrecht said. "But the first thing the coaches said was, 'We're not done.'